4 June 2025
In the workplace, loss of meaning, which stems from organizational absurdity and is a hallmark of today’s management system, is becoming increasingly common. Yet, according to Guillaume Blum, Professor and Director of the Design Department at ÉTS, design can help.
Innovation, Linking Management and Design
With a degree in engineering (2003), an MBA from UQAM (2007) and a joint PhD in administration from ESG UQAM (2014), Guillaume Blum is especially interested in innovation-related issues. His research focuses on design theories and practices which involve seeing through the eyes of the target users. Professor Blum points to the example of Apple. Unlike most companies, they create their products based on a user-centric design approach. In what context do people listen to music? Is it on the bus, at home or at work? Is it to relax, to reduce background noise or to promote concentration?
Design is not well understood. It evokes colour, form and material. Yet the discipline is multifaceted, encompassing many fields, whether aesthetic, functional, symbolic, cultural, or organizational. The fundamental principle is to include everyone involved in the process.
Working Like Sherlock Holmes
A team of engineers at an aeronautics company won’t necessarily feel motivated by the idea of designing a low-cost aircraft. However, if they are given the task of designing a more environmentally friendly aircraft, these engineers will generally find greater meaning in their work. They’ll feel they’re contributing to the well-being of society as a whole, by putting their skills at the service of a common goal.
Abductive design thinking requires constant back-and-forth between theory and practice. “If it’s not working, we go back to the field to better understand and make changes, like Sherlock Holmes,” explains Professor Blum. Designers are trained to think through complex, multi-stakeholder issues, and to find a way forward, gaining the support of all stakeholders involved.
This knowledge creation paves the way for innovation in all fields.
Guillaume Blum, Professor of Design at ÉTS and Department Director
Research Chair in Creative Economy and Well-Being
Guillaume Blum is also co-chairholder of the Research Chair in Creative Economy and Well-Being. One objective of this chair is to analyze the challenges of content discoverability, namely by improving the positioning of Québec content on digital platforms. According to Guillaume, this is a crucial issue, as the algorithms of these sites do not necessarily favour the dissemination of homegrown music, nor the interests of individuals and society as a whole. By thinking about people’s uses and interests, we can find ways of linking collective identity to cultural vitality.
Innovation Through Design at ÉTS
For the past fifteen years, Guillaume Blum has been teaching at different Québec universities to students of all levels. When ÉTS approved the creation of a design department, following the impetus given by Professor Félix Faucher, Guillaume Blum enthusiastically joined the team. “It’s very exciting to participate in the genesis of a new department that could change the dynamic of the school, since we’re recruiting students from the humanities, as well as from multimedia, industrial design and graphic design,” exclaims Professor Blum. ÉTS will remain primarily an engineering school, but this program adds an innovative twist to its profile.
Until now, issues related to innovation through design have been relatively unexplored. What matters is identifying what is important for the individual in this specific context. It’s about improving people’s lives in tangible ways by understanding their reality. “In fact, design is applied anthropology,” sums up Professor Guillaume Blum.
